Voila! It’s Parker time

[nkdlunch]

Voila! It’s Parker time
Posted by Fran Blinebury
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2010/05/04/voila-its-parker-time/

PHOENIX – It’s only a matter of time before it happens. Either somewhere along the road to the Spurs’ fifth championship in June or sometime when their backs are pressed against the wall and staring at elimination or some place in between, it will happen.

Tony Parker will move back into the starting lineup at the point for the Spurs.

Could this be it in Game 2?

Parker swears that he’ll come off the bench when San Antonio tries to even the series on Wednesday night. But anyone with a pair of eyes and a clue could see the difference when Parker played the second half in place of the struggling George Hill. And anyone with a reasonably-functioning memory — or a Google search — knows that it’s Parker who owns the three championship rings.

“Oh, I don’t know if they’re gonna start him or bring him off the bench in the next one,” said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. “But either way, I think we’re going to see plenty of Tony Parker on the court. Look at all the experience he has at the position. Look at everything that he’s done for that team.”

You could look at the third and fourth quarters of the opener when the Spurs were making their runs. Suddenly it was Parker directing traffic and suddenly the Spurs were getting the ball to the rim for layups by Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili or Parker. He knows how to get the ball inside.

The Spurs had finished the regular season strong and it was understandable that coach Gregg Popovich didn’t want to tinker with chemistry as the playoffs opened and Parker worked his way back into shape after being sidelined with a broken hand. So he started Hill at the helm of the offense. But you have to know that the Spurs aren’t going to finish without Parker back at the controls.

For all the talk that’s flying around these days debating the merits of who should be regarded as the best point guard in the NBA — sacre bleu — somehow Parker has been sitting on the bench and out much of the discussion. And that’s just wrong.

That’s why you can bet that he’ll be back as the Spurs’ starter, maybe sooner than you think.

[Sense]

At least for this series... I sure hope so... if he would've started game 1... who knows what could've happened. I do however doubt that Nash would've made 4 straight layups.

[sa_butta]

On the Ticket this morning they continued to argue that Pop should not start Parker since starting Hill worked in the Mavs series. Somebody tell them we are not playing the Mavs and that Nash is just too crafty for Hill. They seem to think bringing Hill off the bench would cause a decline in his play. I disagree.

[philliespur]

We need to start Parker.

[Spurfect21]

Parker needs to start game 2 cuz his ability to make Nash work harder on defense... The spurs used Hill wrong on the offensive end in game 1 by not posting him up on Nash alot more (or at all for that matter). That would have slowed his fast start. G Hill seems to have enough mental toughness not to tank if he is back on the bench... but Pop is a genius at adjustments so we'll see what happens... First post btw... Go spurs!!!

[I <3 SPURS]

We definitely need to start Parker in place of Hill and Bogans in place of Jefferson. That way we have Dice, Duncan, Bogans, Ginobili, Parker as the starting 5 and bring Hill and Jefferson off the bench. That will allow for Jefferson to have the ball in possession more and create his own shot, that is the only time he is effective. I hope Pop sees that and makes the right decision come game time!